Oxygen inhaler mask with sound pickup device

Abstract

Oxygen breathing masks with a sound pickup device. A microphone capsule of the sound pick-up device is positioned at the base of a mouth-piece whose aperture is placed just before the mask user's mouth. Such a mask may find particular application for aircraft pilots.

1. Oxygen breathing mask with a sound pick-up device, comprising:
 a flexible cap; 
 an exhalation port pierced through the flexible cap; 
 a housing on an inner surface of the flexible cap; 
 first and second microphone capsules positioned above the exhalation port; 
 a conical tubular mouth-piece extending from a first distal end disposed adjacent the flexible cap to a second distal end projecting away from the flexible cap, the first and second microphone capsules mounted at said first distal end of the tubular mouthpiece with the first and second microphone capsules positioned between the flexible cap and the mouth-piece, said second distal end of said tubular mouth-piece disposed away from the first and second microphone capsules and defining an aperture turned away from said flexible cap; and 
 an arm having first and second ends, wherein the first end is disposed within the housing, and the arm extends from the housing and supports at the second end the tubular mouth-piece at said first distal end adjacent the first and second microphone capsules. 
 
   
   
     2. Mask according to  claim 1 , wherein the mask has a top, bottom and opposed sides, and the aperture of the mouth-piece is elliptical with a greatest dimension of the ellipse extending laterally toward the sides of the mask. 
   
   
     3. Mask according to  claim 1 , wherein the mouth-piece has an acoustic screen positioned in the aperture. 
   
   
     4. Mask according to  claim 3 , wherein the screen is constituted by a metal lattice. 
   
   
     5. Mask according to  claim 1 , further comprising a baffle fixedly joined to the flexible cap and positioned between the first microphone capsule and the exhalation port. 
   
   
     6. Mask according to  claim 1 , further comprising first and second cables and complementary connection pieces of releasable connectors, each connected to first ends of the first and second cables, wherein respective second ends of the first and second cables are directly connected to the first and second microphone capsules. 
   
   
     7. Mask according to  claim 1 , further comprising plural catches fixedly joined to the flexible cap and mounted substantially perpendicularly to an external face of the flexible cap. 
   
   
     8. Mask according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second microphone capsules are mounted side by side on a base of the mouth-piece. 
   
   
     9. Mask according to  claim 1 , wherein said tubular mouth-piece has an opening at said distal end larger than an opening facing the microphone capsule. 
   
   
     10. Mask according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second microphone capsules are disposed in an acoustic chamber having a plurality of holes. 
   
   
     11. Mask according to  claim 10 , wherein said acoustic chamber has a high-pass filtering capability with a cutoff frequency in the range of about 100 Hz. 
   
   
     12. Mask according to  claim 1 , wherein a height of said mouth-piece with respect to a location at which a user's mouth is adapted to be positioned in the mask is adjustable. 
   
   
     13. Mask according to  claim 12 , wherein said height varies from about 10 to about 18 mm. 
   
   
     14. Mask according to  claim 1 , wherein said aperture of said tubular mouth-piece is turned towards a center of a location at which a user's mouth is adapted to be positioned, said mouth-piece having a longitudinal axis passing substantially through the center of said location, and said aperture defining a plane which is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis. 
   
   
     15. An oxygen breathing mask, comprising:
 a flexible cap; 
 an exhalation port pierced through the flexible cap; 
 a housing disposed on an inner surface of the flexible cap, the housing being separate from the exhalation port; 
 a body mounted in the housing; 
 an arm having first and second ends and extending from the body; 
 a microphone assembly supported at the second end of the arm and comprising a conical tubular mouth-piece having first and second distal ends, an acoustic chamber connected at the second distal end of the mouth-piece and disposed adjacent the flexible cap, and at least two microphones disposed in the acoustic chamber, wherein the conical tubular mouth-piece extends from the first distal end connected to the acoustic chamber to the second distal end projecting away from the flexible cap. 
 
   
   
     16. Mask according to  claim 15 , wherein the mask has a top, bottom and opposed sides, and the aperture of the mouth-piece is elliptical with a greatest dimension of the ellipse extending laterally toward the sides of the mask. 
   
   
     17. Mask according to  claim 15 , wherein the mouth-piece has an acoustic screen positioned in the aperture. 
   
   
     18. Mask according to  claim 17 , wherein the screen is constituted by a metal lattice. 
   
   
     19. Mask according to  claim 15 , further comprising a baffle fixedly joined to the flexible cap and positioned between the at least two microphones and the exhalation port. 
   
   
     20. Mask according to  claim 15 , further comprising first and second cables and complementary connection pieces of releasable connectors, each connected to first ends of the first and second cables, wherein respective second ends of the first and second cables are directly connected to the at least two microphones. 
   
   
     21. Mask according to  claim 15 , further comprising plural catches fixedly joined to the flexible cap and mounted substantially perpendicularly to an external face of the flexible cap. 
   
   
     22. Mask according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least two microphones are mounted side by side on a base of the mouth-piece. 
   
   
     23. Mask according to  claim 15 , wherein the acoustic chamber comprises a plurality of holes. 
   
   
     24. Mask according to  claim 23 , wherein said acoustic chamber has a high-pass filtering capability with a cutoff frequency in the range of about 100 Hz. 
   
   
     25. Mask according to  claim 15 , wherein a height of said mouth-piece with respect to a location at which a user's mouth is adapted to be positioned in the mask is adjustable.